Snake Boy
by Morbid Asylum
Summary: Harry is abandoned in the woods by his uncle, and is found by a basilisk who raises him until he gets his letter. How will hogwarts deal with Harry Potter, the halfsnake? Pairing: HarrySeverus Warning: Slash,Minor,Shouta at a minimum
1. Chapter 1

It was the morning after Halloween, and Petunia Dursley had just gotten up for the mail. Bleary eyed, she walked down the stairs, and opened the door to grab the package she was expecting. Nothing could have prepared her for what she saw.

There was a boy on her doorstep. A black haired, green-eyed boy. The moment that she saw the boy's eyes, she knew that it cold be none other then her sister's son, Harry James Potter.

At that instant, she chose to do what any other magic hating person would do. She screamed. It wasn't an ordinary scream either. It was so high pitched, so loud and horror filled, that it managed to wake all living creatures in the area.

Bats living in the shutters took flight and filled the air with even more squeals. Birds flew off in shock, and did not return for weeks. All up and down the road, dogs began to bark. Cats hissed and ran to hide in the trees. A car crashed when the driver was startled by the noise, and Petunia's enormous husband came waddling down the stairs like a bowling ball with duck's legs.

A few more shrill screams, and a startled husband later, Vernon Dursley was driving towards the woods in search of a place that he could dump the child that his wife wanted gone more than she wanted anything else in the world.

When he came to the park, the elephant sized man scooped up the confused child and began to lumbar into the woods. He squeezed himself through trees as they started to grow closer together, trying to get rid of the child as far away from civilization as possible, so that it would never get the chance to pass it's freakishness on to further generations like the abominations that were it's parents had.

When the trees got to be so close together that Vernon could not manage to force himself through, he dropped the boy and turned back to go home. Vernon didn't have any idea as to how his actions would affect the future, but even if he had known, it is doubtful that he would have cared enough to try and change it. Vernon, Petunia, and Dudley Dursley were ignorant, cruel, magic hating people, and they always would be. Vernon didn't even look back as he stomped his way through the trees that were barely far enough apart to accommodate his girth.


	2. Chapter 2

The night of November first, Oasis, a basilisk, slithered out of her well for the first time in a month. She had been in a deep stasis, and was consequently very hungry. Basilisks such as herself could petrify or kill at a glance, should they so choose. Some had chosen to kill who ever they saw, and that had given them a bad name amongst humans.

What the humans didn't know was that basilisks had two eyelids. One lid was normal, and was used in conjunction with the other for blinking and sleeping. The secondary eyelid was transparent, and allowed basilisks to look around without killing anyone they saw.

Another thing that gave them their bad name was their monstrous appearance. Oasis was a hundred foot long snake. She had black scales with the odd green one every so often. Her fangs were well taken care of, and gleamed brightly in the moonlight. She also had a bright red crest that she could expand to look similar to a lion's mane when scaring off others. It was perhaps the fact that she could swallow almost any creature with little to no trouble that was the most disturbing.

Basilisks on a whole were very misunderstood. At one point in time they had even had a council, and a set of laws. When a small group had broken away, and begun hunting humans, the humans had retaliated, and killed almost all of the basilisks alive. There were only a handful left, and they were all in hiding.

Oasis was in the mood for a deer on that particular evening, and had caught on to the scent of several soon after leaving her well. It did not take her long to catch six full grown females. On the way back to her den, the sound of a crying child distracted her. The giant snake was curious as to why parents would have left their child in the middle of the woods so late at night and went to investigate. As the sound of crying grew louder, the basilisk caught sight of a car seat dumped unceremoniously on the ground.

'_Hello young one_,_'_ the snake hissed mostly to herself, believing that the child would be unable to reply. As soon as she began speaking the boy stopped crying, and stared up at her. The boy was unusual. He had an enormous amount of power, and Oasis was able to feel it pulsing around her. She noticed that his eyes were a very unusual green, and an old prophecy sprung into her mind. Her suspicions were confirmed when the boy answered her with a simple 'hello' in the parseltongue, the snake language.

Snakes had the ability to speak from birth, so it stood to reason that the child would as well. That didn't make it any less shocking. He was a small boy, and had jet black hair that was unusually thick for one so young. His emerald eyes stood out like beacons in the darkness. Oasis also noticed that he had a black mark on his forehead, which vaguely resembled a lightning bolt. She couldn't help but wonder where he got it as she had no knowledge of the wizarding world. Regardless of where he came from, it was doubtless that he was the child of the prophecy, and would therefore require much training before his return to the wizarding world.

Oasis had become friends with a man that lived in a secluded cottage in the woods. He had taught oasis to write with her tail, and the two had become good friends. She knew that the boy needed to be trained to fulfill the prophecy, and decided to train the boy on her own. She knew that the cottage man knew the current wand magic, along with physical methods of attack and defense, so she could get him to fill in the gaps. She would teach the boy how to survive in the wild, as long as many other skills he would need to survive.

There were also many rituals she would have to perform on him. Only a few humans knew that basilisks could perform a certain brand of magic on themselves and other creatures. These rituals were extremely draining for both the caster, and the one who was being cast upon, so they would need to be spaced out. She would need to ensure that the boy became immune to basilisk poison to begin with. He would also need to be able to look a basilisk in the eye without dying. Those two rituals would take the better part of a year. And after that, she would need to increase his agility and range of movement, a series of rituals that would take the better part of yet another year. There was one more ritual Oasis planned to perform, and that was one to infuse the boy with a bit of her own essence in order to give him more snake like qualities. The only time the ritual had been preformed successfully, had been on Salazar Slytherin by oasis's mother of sorts.

Overall it would be slow going, but the end results should be worth it, Oasis decided. She grabbed the handle of the car seat with her fangs, and slithered away towards her den. Presently she had no suitable food, so the child would have to make due with blood.


	3. Chapter 3

It was one week after Oasis had found the boy in the woods. Since then, she had been calling him Trucido – a conjugation of the Latin word for to slay. At first the young boy had been reluctant to drink the blood she offered him, but a week in - he was used to it, and actually seemed to like it. Fortunately, he could already walk, so Oasis made sure that he knew he had to go to the bathroom outside the well. He had been upset about that at first, and had cried until Oasis had threatened not to give him his rat.

They were planning to make their way to the cabin man that afternoon. Oasis needed to start the rituals as soon as possible, and once it was complete, both Oasis and Trucido would be completely drained, and would need someone to help them out. Trucido had already gotten out of the cave, and was sitting outside waiting for her. He climbed onto her head, and grabbed onto her crest. Oasis was glad that magical babies matured faster than non magical ones. If they didn't the process would have been extremely difficult.

As it was, it took only an hour to get to the cottage. When they arrived there was a man Oasis did not recognize staring out the window. Harry, who had been fast asleep was not woken by the tremendous scream that issued from the cabin. The cottage man joined the other in the window, and calmed him down before rushing outside.

"Oasis! What are you doing with a baby?" The man ran out of the house looking frantic. He made a grab for Trucido, but Oasis hissed and pulled back. There was no way he was going to get her childe. The man immediately put his hands up in the air and backed off, "all right. Tell me what's going on."

Oasis slithered over to the dirt patch she normally wrote on and began to work. It was difficult going, writing with her tail, but she managed to get what she needed said said:

I found him in the woods. He will be the childe to take up the throne of the basilisk in the interspecies assembly. It is prophesied that he will bring basilisks back to their former glory. You can not have him, but I need help.

The man stared, "the prophesized childe? Of course I'll help. What do you need?" he was obviously surprised, but understood the importance of what Oasis was saying, and answered vehemently.

Oasis had been certain that he would help, so she was not surprised in the least, though some what relieved:

He will need to undergo many rituals to become fully accepted. The rituals are draining, and we will both need assistance when they are over.

The man looked grave, "are you sure he's the right one? I don't want to change him just to find out that he is the wrong boy. How do you know?"

Oasis smiled inwardly. She knew that the cabin man was intelligent. That was part of the reason she held such respect for him. He was reasonable, and understood the logic in thinking a situation, and wouldn't act irrationally. Despite this he also had a sense of humor that Oasis appreciated. She wrote again:

He speaks the language of the snakes, and has great power. I am certain.

The man nodded, "Can I see him?" Oasis gave consent, "thank you."

He picked up the black haired boy, and looked at his face before nearly fainting. Trucido, who was groggy from just being woken, was instantly awake. A grin lit up his face, and his green eyes brightened, with the recognition that came from seeing a familiar person. He squealed happily and clapped his hands, "Moony!"


	4. Chapter 4

Remus Lupin prided himself on having a very logical brain that could figure out almost any problem, but in the last week or so he had been confronted with so many problems that he didn't know what to do. First, his two of best friends had been murdered and betrayed by none other than their secret keeper, yet another close friend. This left him and his remaining friend to deal with their god son amidst their mourning. Though Harry would have been trouble as neither of them knew what to do with a child, they in no way wanted him gone. The decision was taken from them however when Dumbledore decided that he would be better off growing up in a non magical environment.

Remus and his remaining best friend, Sirius, had continued to argue with Dumbledore since they had discovered what he did, but he refused to tell them where he left Harry. They had nearly given up hope, and were in the process of planning their last fight when Sirius had spied Oasis, Remus' basilisk friend through the window.

Sirius had thrown a royal fit, and refused to come outside no mater what Remus told him about how nice Oasis was. When he had seen that she had a child on her head he did the first thing that came to mind and grabbed for it. Understandably, she recoiled, and Remus backed off long enough to hear that she had found the childe spoken of in the man-snake prophecy.

The prophecy dictated that a child would be born, and would have both great power, and a piece of snake within him. The child would become half snake and half man, and would bridge the gap between men and basilisks that had grown through the centuries. He would strengthen the world, and bring all magical species closer together. Under his leadership the world was to be united, and all beings would enter into a golden age.

Needless to say, who ever the child was, he was very important. Remus couldn't resist the temptation to look the boy over, and asked to see him. He seemed to be healthy, so Remus was not concerned with the health of the boy. When he got a look at the boy's face his knees went weak.

The boy had ebony black hair, and bright green eyes. Lily's eyes and James' hair. The boy was none other than their son, the Boy-Who-Lived, and savior of the discarding world. Remus wasn't sure whether to be scared out of his mind that Harry would have yet another weight put on his shoulders, to be happy because he and Sirius would be able to see Harry, or be angry that Dumbledore had placed Harry with such terrible people that they dumped him in the woods to be eaten by some creature or to starve to death.

When Harry said his name in the adorable voice that always melted Remus' heart, the older man could only smile, "Hello Harry. Have you been a good boy?" he knew that Oasis had said Harry could speak parsyltongue, but hearing it spoken was entirely different from just knowing of the ability. The noises coming out of his god son's mouth sounded so sinister it was frightening, and yet the gleeful smile on Harry's face contradicted any such thoughts. While he was staring at the rapidly hissing boy Oasis began to write:

He is telling you that he has got a new mother, and eats rats and bugs, but that they are good. Snakes can speak from birth. I expect that he simply lacked the stimuli that would have triggered the ability.

Remus noticed the message and grinned at Harry despite the fact that he was totally horrified with the prospect of eating rats and bugs, "that's great Harry!" Indeed it was great. It seemed that everything would work out for everyone. That was at least until Remus remembered Sirius again.

Sirius was the kind of person who would blow everything out of proportion, and make a fuss. He was perhaps the most stubborn person in existence, and was firmly against anything snake like. That could be a major problem Remus decided. So logically, he did the only thing he could do, and yelled, "Sirius! Get your Arse out her before I send Oasis in to get you!" Seconds later a black dog was making his way towards the trio. Remus smirked. He may have always been the level head of their group at school, but if he made a threat, he always meant it, and he always took revenge.


	5. Chapter 5

Sirius Black had always been the jokester of his friends. He took nothing seriously. However, when one sees a hundred foot long snake, it is not the time for jokes, so naturally Sirius screamed.

He didn't give a damn that Remus said the snake was nice – it was still a snake. It never occurred to him that it wasn't very brave at all to sit inside why his friend faced the snake. All that occurred to Sirius was that he needed to hide from the giant snake. And hide he did – until Remus called for him. If it hadn't been for the threat, he still would have been inside, but as it was, he was standing outside in front of a giant snake, and his best friend, who was holding a very familiar baby.

The second that Sirius recognized Harry as the baby he transformed back to his human form and ran to him, "Where did he come from Remus? How did you get him? Dumbledore doesn't know does he? He said that Harry would be fine, and that he wasn't going to check on him. Do you think he'll notice?" he grabbed Harry and spun him around in the air. The giggling boy started to hiss again, and Sirius nearly died of shock. Remus grabbed Harry back quickly to prevent Sirius dropping the small boy.

"Sit Sirius," Sirius did so instantly, though he did so with an unattractive thump. Remus winced, "Look Sirius. Do you remember that prophecy that I told you about? The one where the world comes together, and gets rid of interspecies segregation?" Sirius nodded, "well Harry is the child it's talking about."

Sirius's eyes widened even further, "what? You mean to tell me he's half snake?"

Remus sighed. Trust Sirius to miss the big picture, "not yet. You see, he has to go through all sorts of rituals to become the king of basilisks. The rituals are incredibly draining, and he will have to recover afterwards. Oasis found him in the woods, and has been taking care of him since. I don't think we have anything to worry about."

Sirius's brow furrowed as he thought it over, "so what you're telling me is that not only did Harry kill the dark lord, but now he has to go through all sorts of thins so that he can be the snake king and save the world from its self?" Remus nodded, "and Dumbledore?"

Sirius was extremely mad at the old man. He had manipulated and tricked them at every turn regarding Harry. He knew that if they were to go through with everything, and keep Harry in the woods that Dumbledore couldn't find out. To solve that problem they would have to go find whoever dumped Harry and make sue that should Dumbledore visit that he would find nothing out of the ordinary. That would involve a great many things, not the least of which was fining out where Harry had stayed, as Dumblefuck had told them nothing.

While Remus and Sirius were thinking, Oasis had been writing, and Harry had begun to hiss again:

Trucido – whom you call Harry - says that he was put in the woods by a giant man and a stick woman. I would also like to assure you that he will be safe. After all, who would mess with a basilisk?

Sirius stared at the message, "she writes?"

Remus nodded, "I taught her. I don't think that Dumbledore will visit. After all, he said he wanted Harry to have no magical influences."

"I think Harry means the Dursleys – lily's sister's family. They are the only ones cruel enough to treat a child like that. Can we torture them?" Sirius had been looking angry, but his face lit up instantly at the idea of being able to torture the people who had left Harry alone in the woods.

Remus silently agreed with him, but said nothing of the sort, "I suggest money. Do you remember how greedy they are? We can either pay them to move, or to say nothing."

Sirius grinned, "Or we could promise to make their lives a living hell."

Remus rolled his eyes and set Harry on the ground, "Oasis. We're going to help you, but first we have to hunt some Dursley. Will you and Harry be alright?" his question was answered when Harry gave Oasis a hug. He knew that the snake was really starting to believe Harry was her son. It would be good for Harry to have maternal influence, even if from a snake. He missed Lily and James deeply, but he could hardly be upset when fate had delivered Harry right to his doorstep. He couldn't wait to start teaching Harry all sorts of things about the magical world.

Sirius had taken everything far better than Remus thought he would, but that didn't mean he was totally alright with everything that was happening. If that snake thought that he would let her take Harry away from them, she had another thing coming.

--

Remus and Sirius struck a deal with the Dursley's that they would pa a fixed amount each year, plus a bonus for every time they had to lie about him. By the time they got home, they were incredibly nauseated. They found Harry curled up in a ball amongst Oasis's coils. Her tail was free, and she explained the first ritual to the pair. She decided the protection against basilisks eyesight was the most important, as well as the least stressful, and as such, should be first on the list of rituals to perform.

And so began the friendship between the four.

--

Over the next five years Harry underwent all but one ritual. He was twice as fast as most humans, and had reflexes to match Oasis. He went running with Sirius daily, and Sirius had to use his dog form to keep up half of the time. Remus would teach him about spells, and they discovered that Harry had some control of wandless magic, they began work on that. Oasis taught him of basilisk policies, and started teaching him the theory behind basilisk magic. Harry progressed quickly for some one of his age, and learned his lessons well.

Sirius and Remus dug a well in their back yard where Oasis and Harry always slept. Much to the two men's discomfort, after the first ritual Harry refused to touch cooked foods. His favorite things to eat were small rodents – namely rats, and small live fish. Vegetables were a no go for Harry, outside of potatoes, which Harry would only eat mashed with raw beef filet. Oasis found it perfectly normal, but Remus and Sirius could barely watch.

Oasis decided that Harry's name among basilisks would be Trucido, but that among humans he could retain his original name. She took over Harry's mother roll, and there was no one who could say she didn't do an excellent job of it. Harry only ever was uncomfortable when someone came over.

As Sirius was the sole heir of the Black fortune, a sum to rival that of the Malfoy's, and Harry was the heir of the Potter fortune, neither he nor Remus worked. Because of that, there were few visitors to the cabin. Those that did visit were Albus Dumbledore, some of Sirius's old auror friends, and some of their other year mates. The school mates, and other aurors were no problem – Harry and oasis simply went into their well and hid until they were gone. Dumbledore on the other hand required numerous protection and masking spells. After one near miss when Dumbledore came without warning, the quartet put permanent spells in place over the entrance to the well. All in all, everything was as near to perfect as it could be.


	6. Chapter 6

It was the night of Harry Trucido potter's seventh birthday. Seventh birthdays were always very important in the magical community because seven was supposed to be one of the most magical numbers. They had chosen Harry's seventh birthday to do the final ritual because of the significance of the number seven, along with the fact that it was a new moon, which Oasis said would help to strengthen the magic, and make the transition easier.

The way the ritual began was by having the snake childe having a serpent rune carved into his chest by his mother basilisk. The mother basilisk would then form herself into an infinity symbol, and the child would stand on the intersection. It worked out nicely for the quartet because two supporters were also needed to chant in Latin along with the parsyltongue spoken by the snake and child.

As they finished the ritual, a bolt of blue lightening struck Harry, and he fell to the ground where he began to writhe in pain from the transformation. He grew a set of fangs that nearly glowed in the darkness, and none of the others doubted that they were poisonous. Tiny black scales formed around his eyelids, appearing almost like eyeliner. They faded out into more opalescent scales as they moved away from the center of his face. A line of harder dark green scales appeared up his spine, that disappeared into his hair the green faded some as it spread out, it reached its widest at his shoulders. The front of his calves had the hardest scale armor for extra protection. There was one last line along the outsides of his arms that grew wider as they moved downwards to fully encircle his wrists. His nails turned black, and his eyes became a darker shade of red, though his hair stayed the same. His skin also became paler – it retained a healthy almost ethereal glow, but showed no sign of the tan he had gained from years of running about without a shirt.

Oasis was pleased with the results, and curled up in such a way as to allow her humans and unconscious childe to sleep on her. It wasn't until the next day that they noticed the change in Harry's eyes. While they were already a startling green before they transformation, they were even more amazing now that it was over the green of his iris had expanded to fill almost his entire eye, and was now speckled with all sorts of other greens. The whites of his eyes had become a darker silver, and his pupils had become vertical slits. There was no doubt that he was a snake at heart.

Remus and Sirius had been afraid that Harry would be upset by the transformation, but instead he seemed ecstatic. His hearing had improved ten fold, and he no longer needed the spell to fix his eyes once a month. His reflexes had also improved, and he had discovered that he had the ability to transform into a basilisk at will.

In snake form, Harry was still small by basilisk standards – that is if you consider fifteen feet small. Harry was a black snake with a green crest, something that Oasis found unusual. Harry however thought that it was perfect as well, and couldn't be happier. The only negative thing about the transformation was the fact that Dumbledore would be very upset at seeing his golden boy turned into a snake.

--

Several years later, while Harry was out back practicing the Tai Chi that Remus had taught him, an owl flew towards him. As always with all animals the owl landed several feet from him and bowed. They recognized him as the king of all creatures already, and Harry strove to learn everything so as to fulfill this role to the fullest. He removed the letter from the owl, which flew away quickly. It was addressed simply to Harry Trucido James Potter, with no other sign of address. Harry recognized the crest on the wax seal as being from Hogwarts, and rushed inside.

When Harry spoke, he always did so in a whisper, yet everyone meant to hear was always able to understand. This time was no different, "Remus? Sirius? My letter is here. When will we be shopping?"

The pair came running in. Oasis was out on a hunt, and would not be back from some time. She would be pleased when she returned. They set the date for one week before Harry was to go off to school. Oasis agreed when she returned, and Harry went out back with her to go to bed. On the way, he grabbed a small mole and gulped it down. He had discovered that with enough will power, he could kill with eye contact like a real basilisk. He had also learned that even in his more human form that he could expand his jaw to swallow larger animals. The largest he could manage in human form was a small rabbit, while he could easily eat baby pigs in his snake form.

He and oasis curled up tighter than usual that night. As much as his mother and he put on strong faces, they were really quite attached, and Harry wasn't certain that he would be able to sleep without his mother's presence.


	7. Chapter 7

Harry, Sirius, and Remus flooed into Diagon alley the week before September first. Harry was not used to being required to wear shirts as they often caught on his scales, but Remus ha come up with a charm that would help with that. Harry was wearing black pants and a thin black t-shirt and a light weight, dark grey, hooded robe. The hood was pulled up over his head when he stepped gracefully out of the grate, so he didn't get more than a few glances.

Sirius and Remus smiled back at him, "come on Trucido. We need to get your robes, books, and apothecary thingies for potions."

Harry smiled at Sirius' speech pattern. The man really was like a child, "where shall we go first?" Harry whispered.

"How about books?" Remus suggested, "You were hoping to get a few more."

"That sounds excellent," he stepped between the two, and Sirius tried to swat Harry's head. The half-snake heard it coming, and ducked quickly to avoid it. Many people who saw were impressed, and began whispering. Harry scowled, "they stare so already, and they do not even know who I am. It can only get worse. I dislike feeling eyes on my back."

Harry had adopted Oasis's speech pattern over the years, and it amused Sirius to no end that an eleven year old was almost as articulate as some adults, "you could give them something to stare at if you took down your hood. Could you imagine?" he pressed the back of his hand to his forehead, "oh my! Look at that creature! No it couldn't be Harry Potter! He's a snake? Oh no the world is going to end!"

Harry rolled his eyes at Sirius's theatrics, and Remus swatted him over the head, "shut up you fool. Behave like an adult."

"But moony! We swore never to grow up," Sirius whined.

"That was before we had to take care of a kid," Remus replied.

Harry scowled, "I'm a snake. Not a kid."

"You're only half snake dumb-bump," Harry tried to smack Harry over the head again, but missed once more. He frowned, "one day I'll get you."

Harry raised an eyebrow, "if you wish to believe that, I will not disillusion you, but know that if you ever do, my revenge will be swift and traumatizing."

Sirius laughed, and put his arm around the younger boy's shoulders, "I have no doubt. Now let's go shopping!" he finished gleefully. Remus shared a look with Harry, but they started down the road anyway. Harry couldn't understand how he managed to attract attention no matter where he went. Even with his face shadowed by the hood, everyone still looked his way. He wanted nothing more than to change into a snake, and hide back in his well. He had only been away from the cottage twice before, and it made him nervous to be surrounded by so many people. After his first time out Remus and Sirius had decided to buy him clothing by taking his measurements, and shortly after his second time out he turned seven. Since then he confined himself to the woods.

What he didn't understand was that the way he walked was so different from others his age that people couldn't help but stare. Harry walked with almost unimaginable grace, and the power he held was nearly visible as it spun around him. You could literally feel him went he entered a room because of his aura. As always, when he entered the bookstore, all heads turned his way. Harry ignored it and made his way to the register, "I need books for Hogwarts first year. I also required political guides, and books on basic dark arts."

"Ain't you a little young to be studying them?" the man looked down his nose at Harry, who didn't flinch.

"One is never too young to begin learning about one's enemy," Harry replied simply. When the man didn't move Harry nearly resorted to pulling down his hood, "I want my books shop keeper. I suggest you bring them," Harry put an edge on his words that made them sound similar to parsyltongue. The shop keeper blanched slightly, and went off to retrieve the requested items.

Sirius and Remus snickered, "interesting Harry."

"It's a sad day when a man is scared of an eleven year old boy," Sirius nodded solemnly.

"I wanted my books," Harry shrugged, "it worked didn't it?"

Remus and Sirius conceded. Harry could get anything he wanted and more. Besides having the ability to appear positively frightening, he could also be playful, or cute enough to melt your heart. Both adults understood that it was stressful for him to be in a crowd, and didn't question why he was so stiff. It was ten minutes before the shop keeper was back with the books. He handed them over with a trembling hand, and the trio left the shop.

Harry once again managed to coerce the apothecary owner into giving him some more questionable items, and they were on their way once again. Parchment took only a few moments, and they set off for the robe shop.

Sirius bounded off to get ice cream and left Remus with Harry. The shop owner immediately shoved Harry onto a stool, and told him to take off his outer robes, saying that she would be back in a moment. Harry gave a hesitant glance to Remus, who shrugged apologetically upon seeing that there was another person in the room.

The boy was nearly as pale as Harry, and had identically perfect posture, though he lacked some of Harry's grace, "No need to be shy. I'll meet you at school anyway."

Harry lowered his hood, "it is not that I am shy, but that I am not human," Harry whispered as he turned slowly to face the blond. His scales shone in the lighting of the shop, and his fangs glistened where they peaked out of his mouth.

The blond's eyes widened, "what are you?"

The boy's father stepped into the shop in time to hear his son's last comment. Evidently he didn't notice Harry, "Draco, what have I told you about being blunt."

"Sir, his reaction is not entirely surprising considering that I'm the first of my kind to be born since Salazar Slytherin himself," Remus knew that Harry needed to learn to defend his heritage and did not interfere. Lucius was obviously surprised by the declaration, and knew not how to respond. Harry cocked his head to the side, and flicked out his tongue, which forked as it extended fully, before returning to normal inside his mouth. Remus had always found that trick slightly disturbing. Harry always got a better sense of the people he was with if he did it, so neither Remus nor Sirius tried to discourage it, "you are more snake than others. You may call me Trucido."

Harry didn't extend his hand, so Lucius didn't either, "Lucius Malfoy, and my son Draco," Harry nodded, "You are a Hogwarts first year?"

"I will be - should I be permitted to stay. I am not certain that they are willing to teach snakes," Harry said seriously. Remus knew he wasn't going to tell him that he was also Harry Potter. Knowing Harry, he probably wanted a good laugh over their faces. Sirius bounded in right then.

"Hey guys. I've got ice cream for me, and I bought you a rat," he handed Harry a small cage, as the younger blond snickered. Sirius raised an eyebrow, "well he needs lunch now doesn't he."

That shut the younger Malfoy up, but Lucius still looked horrified, "surely you don't expect him to eat a live rat Black?"

Harry scowled, "they aren't any good dead, and I'd be dead before I touched that revolting concoction – unless it had blood on it. Then it would be fine."

Lucius's eyes were wide, and remained that way as Harry took the rat out of the cage. He pierced it lightly with one fang to stop it's struggling, and then proceeded to swallow the entire thing whole. When he was done he looked to Sirius in question, and the older man handed him a small thermos of blood. Harry drank it down eagerly, and turned to the Malfoy's again, "That was undoubtedly one of the most disgusting things I have ever seen."

Remus snorted, "You should see him eat rabbits. It's a horror show."

"Oh and the mice! He eats the bloody things like mnms" Sirius added.

"And don't forget when he tried that pig! And it took him half an hour to get it in," Harry guessed correctly that Remus and Sirius weren't to happy with the Malfoys from the malicious glint in their eyes as they told more and more revolting stories about things Harry had eaten. Both Malfoys were revolted, and bolted from the store the second Draco's robes were done. The trio laughed a bit – it would be interesting to see the blonde's reaction when the snake boy who ate pigs was announced as Harry Potter – Savior of the wizarding world.

It would certainly make the beginning of the school year interesting.


	8. Chapter 8

Finally, it was September first, and Harry was packing up the last of his clothing. He had on a black hooded sweatshirt with jeans and a green t-shirt. The sweatshirt had a snake on the back that was the same green as the t-shirt below it. Harry had accumulated all sorts of items through the years, and was having a hard time getting them all into the trunk. When he finally managed, he went outside of the well, and went to find Oasis.

'Mother?' he hissed loudly.

"I am here Trucido," Oasis replied. Harry smiled, and changed into his snake form so that he could embrace her properly, 'I have brought you something.'

Harry pulled back. He couldn't imagine what it could be, 'mother? What do you mean?'

Her tail snaked forward, and Harry changed into his human form to catch the small package she offered. It was an old velvet box that looked as if it had accumulated a great deal of dust. He brushed it off carefully before opening it. Inside was a pendant on a chain. It consisted of a pentagram inside a ring, with a snake wrapped around the ring. It was the symbol of the basilisk lord. The snake represented the population of snakes around the world. The ring was the traditional circle of life, and the pentagram represented the five most important laws.

The first law was to always behave with honor and decorum. Despite what most humans thought, basilisks were noble creatures, and they had a strong sense of pride. Any good basilisk would maintain their dignity at almost any cost.

The second law was to respect knowledge, and to seek it out. Knowledge was power among the basilisks, and those who were considered the most knowledgeable always got the seats of importance of the basilisk house. It was a basilisk's duty to search for knowledge through out their lives.

The third law was to kill for need, or when threatened. Basilisks were not vengeful creatures on the whole. A fraction had broken off years ago, and had destroyed villages, giving the remaining basilisks a bad name. Killing was not intended to be a sport for any one, and as such, the basilisk had laws to protect against it.

The fourth law was to never betray. Betrayal was the highest crime imaginable, and to abandon family or friends was unthinkable. If one basilisk betrayed another it was the duty of those who were loyal to hunt down the betrayer and kill them. Loyalty was not a thing to betaken lightly, and if a basilisk, or any snake for that matter pledged themselves to you, you could couldn't on them to save your live at any time.

The final law was to never say a lie. It might seem like a trivial thing to some, but to basilisks, lying was a very serious thing. Not only did it signify mistrust and disrespect, but it was also a betrayal. The basilisk leader was most affected by this law because should he break it, and lie to his people it would be equal to committing treason. The basilisk believed in using logic to convince. There were occasions when one might not tell the whole truth, but never an outright lie.

The pendant had last been worn by Salazar Slytherin himself, and to say that it was an honor to receive it was a huge understatement. Harry put it around his neck quickly, and changed back into snake form to thank oasis, 'how did you find it mother?'

'It belonged to my mother. Salazar gave it to her before he passed away. I thought it fitting you should have it,' she replied kindly. Oasis really was his mother, and Harry couldn't imagine living without her. At least with the amulet he would be able to remember her better.

The pair made there way to the cabin where Remus and Sirius were waiting. Oasis and Harry snake-hugged one last time before Harry made his way through the fireplace to the nearest wizarding pub. They got nothing more than the normal curious glance when Harry stepped in, and as they made their way through the pub. It took only minutes for them to reach the station from there. Harry made sure to keep his head down so that none of the muggles saw his scales as they made their way to the barrier. Once inside they put Harry's trunk in a compartment, and got ready to leave.

Harry gave both huge hugs, "I'll miss you guys. Visit me?"

Remus and Sirius smiled down at him, "as soon as possible. We can write you in the mean time," Remus assured him.

"Play lots of pranks!" Sirius encouraged in his usual joyful manner.

"But don't get caught," Remus added.

"And don't eat anything bigger than you head at the table."

"Beat everyone at everything."

"And most of all…"

"Up hold the marauder name!" they finished together.

Harry laughed at his surrogate fathers, "I will try. I'll write you soon. I promise."

"You had better twerp" Sirius swatted at him and Harry ducked.

The bell signaled and both men gave Harry one last hug before running out the door. Harry went into his compartment and changed quickly into hooded school robes before falling asleep on one of the benches to await their arrival at the school. Unfortunately, he was awoken shortly after they left when some one opened his compartment door.


	9. Chapter 9

Harry was up in a second, and had moved to the side of the door. Instincts built up from his many years of training were guiding him, as he wasn't really even awake yet. A red head entered the room, and before he even had time to react, Harry had him in a choke hold, and disarmed of his poorly positioned wand, "who are you?"

"R-r-Ronald W-Weasely," the boy choked out. Harry grimaced. His smell was so nauseating – so devoid of snake – that it was going to make him sick.

"Why are you here?"

"A-all the other compartments are full," the boy was trying his hardest not to stutter. Harry rolled his eyes at the pointless act of defiance. It was obvious that he was not going to get away, so instead of trying to seem strong, 'Ronald Weasely' really should have been trying to figure out a way to escape. Harry scowled and threw the boy to the floor.

"Stay as far away from me as possible," Harry ordered while ensuring that his hood revealed nothing of his face. He didn't want to make too many enemies before even arriving at school, and kicking this repugnant boy out was a sure fire way to do so. Judging from what he knew of human behavior, he guessed that the boy would run off in a huff and tell everyone of how nasty he was. While amusing, it was not the way to start of a school year.

Harry might have survived if the boy hadn't wanted to talk, "what house do you think you're going to be in? I'm going to be in Gryffindor like the rest of my family. We're all Gryffindors."

"I will be in with my brethren," Harry replied, drawing a weird look from the other boy.

"Uh… Okay," the compartment door opened once again, and Harry nearly attacked once more, but saw that it was only the lady with sweets.

"Anything from the trolley dearies?" she asked warmly.

"Your entire supply of blood pops please," Harry asked, making both the trolley woman, and the weasel.

"Honey, are you sure? Wouldn't you prefer something sweeter?" she offered.

"I dislike all other sweets," Harry responded. He wasn't overly insulted as blood pops were an odd choice, and the woman had not seen his face. She nodded in a slightly confused manner, but handed over the sweets all the same. It took Harry several trips between the bench and the door to unload them all, but soon enough the woman was gone.

"No mice today?" a new voice called from the door way. Harry recognized the smell of the boy from the shop.

He pulled a small bottomless box from one of his smaller bags, and began to load in his pops one by one so that they would remain stacked when he moved about. The box had been a gift from Sirius when they discovered that Harry liked the pops almost as much as mice. Weasel was still looking at him with a horrified expression. It appeared that he had lost his voice once more. Harry glanced over at the blond boy, "I am saving the mice for when I reveal who I am, and what I am."

Draco raised an eyebrow, "you do that," he glanced around and noted Ron, "and what are you doing here? You must be a Weasely. My father has told me about you – poor, red hair, freckles. Honestly Trucido, I don't know why you let him in here."

Harry glanced over his shoulder at Ron who had turned a rather brilliant shade of red. It was actually interesting how he could change colors with such proficiency, "there was no room elsewhere. I will make enough enemies once I reveal myself. I thought it best to wait until then to make them."

"Ah. I suppose that makes sense," he walked inside, and sat down on Harry's bench, "what are you looking at blood traitor?"

The red head stood, "Don't you insult my family!"

"Oh please! Any respectable pure blood would be disturbed by how much your family loves muggles and the like!"

"I'm not pure blood," Harry interjected in an off hand manner.

Draco rolled his eyes, "well obviously. But you're different."

"No creature is different than any other. While we must remain segregated from muggles so that they do not exploit our abilities, we must be united within the magical community," Both boys stared at him like he was insane, and he finished putting away his blood pops, "what I'm trying to tell you is that your fighting is pointless, and you should find a better reason to hate each other. I suggest you settle on personality. I generally use smell, but I don't think either of you have that option."

The look that Ron gave him was one of total confusion while Draco's was a cross between amusement and disgust. Once again the door opened to the compartment, and a bushy haired girl came in, "have any of you seen a toad? Neville has lost his."

Ron jumped at the chance for an exit, "no, but I'll help you look!" both boys snickered as he practically dragged the girl out of the room.

"That was interesting," Draco took Ron's seat in the far corner, "father told me that Harry potter should be here this year but I haven't heard anything. Crabbe Goyle and I were looking for him, but we split up to cover more ground."

"Your father tells you a lot," Harry replied in an effort to distract the youngest Malfoy. Harry had never told an outright lie in his life, and he wasn't sure how long he could conceal the truth should Draco become more inquisitive. Oasis had trained him well in the art of concealing things under direct questioning. The trick was to do things in such a way as to never lie, but never reveal anything either. That of course was only necessary should you be caught - something that Harry doubted would be a problem for him. He had years of practice at covering up for his work. Time released traps were his specialty, and as most people added 'last night' to the ends of their questions, it worked out rather well.

"My father is a great man. He as embarrassed about being so squeamish when he saw you eating live animals," Draco grimaced, "which is rather disgusting."

Harry smirked, "it shocks most people, and upsets even those with hardened stomachs."

"It was certainly upsetting," Draco agreed. The pair spent the rest of the time discussing random topics of no consequence. The door didn't open again until the trip was nearly over, and some older kid came in to say that it was time to change. As both bys were already dressed they had little to do before they got off the train. Harry checked to make sure he had his dinner, and pop box with him, while Draco primped his appearance.

They exited the train amidst much crowding and discomfort, something that made Harry exceedingly uneasy. A man Harry could tell was half giant and half man led them down to a small pier where everyone boarded even smaller boats. Draco invited two boys, whom he called Crabbe and Goyle into their boat.

Both boys were purebloods, but they were inbred to the point that it could almost be said they were in a vegetative state. Draco went to introduce, "Crabbe, Goyle, this is Trucido."

Harry hissed, "They are not snake enough to use that name. To use it is a privilege few hold. You and your father may not pass on this privilege without my position. They may learn my real name during the sorting. Until then you will not address me by name."

All three boys had recoiled when he hissed, and nodded stupidly in agreement with Harry's demand. The rest of the trip was spent in silence – Harry surmised that they were too frightened to speak.

As the boats traveled through a cave, Harry felt a tracking spell try to settle over him. He quickly blocked it on himself and partially on Draco. He seethed in anger that the headmaster would do such a thing. It was disgusting behavior to apply spells behind some one's back. Especially those as restricting as tracking spells which monitored both location and magic use.

His mouth was the only part of his face that showed under the long hood he wore, and the scowl that adorned his face was enough to scare away many people away. . The lack of colors in combination with the scowl made a very intimidating picture. Harry couldn't wait until they saw who he was. The reaction would be interesting indeed.

Hardly anyone smelt like a snake, and Harry found in nauseating. They were led inside to wait for the sorting to begin. When the ghosts came in many people gasped, but Harry looked on curiously. They looked about until they spotted Harry. When they laid eyes on him they all bowed, "young lord. We thought you would never come."

Harry was not comfortable making a scene, but he adapted quickly. If the stares he got with his hood were anything in comparison to the ones he would get without, he would need to be used to it. Additionally he would need to be prepared for the reaction to his dinner, as it would assuredly not be good. He nodded to the ghosts "it is my time. As it was destined to be."

"We give you our allegiance," they chorused. Harry smiled, being careful not to reveal his fangs.

"I accept in the name of the Basilisk Alliance. You all may address me as Trucido," they bowed, and the tight lipped woman who had led them inside returned.

"Form a line. It is time for the sorting. Be on your best behavior," Harry could tell that she was generally a fair woman, a trait he appreciated, but he suspected that she had some biases. He decided to reserve judgment until he could figure out her scent better. She pushed open the double doors to the great hall, and Harry made sure to be at the back of the line. Taking a deep breath, he began to walk.

'Let the games begin.'


	10. Chapter 10

Harry could feel the many eyes on him as he walked down the aisle. He tried to ignore it as best he could, but it really was upsetting. Unlike most of the others, he was aware of how they were to be sorted, and was not surprised when the stool and hat were placed in position. The sorting hat's song was interesting, but he suspected that it was not manufactured by the hat itself. Either that or it was forced to modify it to fit with Dumbledore's demands.

Draco was sorted into Slytherin, while others were sent off in other directions. The tension in Harry's stomach grew as the witch approached P on the list. He noted that Dumbledore seemed to be searching the line for any sign of the illustrious Harry potter. He seemed troubled when he couldn't find what was supposed to be a nervous, but happy boy. Draco too was scanning the line up with a scowl on his face.

At last the witch called, 'Potter, Harry,' and the whispers erupted. Harry swept forward with his robes swishing around him and sat on the stool with a flourish. He saw Draco nearly fall off the bench in shock. Clearly he hadn't been expecting the snake boy to be The Harry Potter. Dumbledore was also greatly troubled. Harry reached up and removed his hood, causing even more startled gasps to run through the hall.

Dumbledore stood immediately, "what is the meaning of this?" he seemed more than a little upset. Harry couldn't help but be pleased.

"The meaning of what? I am Harry Trucido James Potter. I received an invitation to this school by owl. Surely you are not going to revoke it now?" Harry smirked, and adjusted his lip to reveal his fangs.

"Harry Potter is human. You cannot be him. I demand that you leave this instant!"

The snake boy raised his bangs, and revealed his scar, "surely I am the one you seek? I may no longer be human, but my original mother and father remain the same."

The old man's eyes widened upon seeing Harry's scar. One could practically see the wheels begin to turn in his head, "see me later. I believe we need to discuss your child hood."

"I believe it would be better to let everyone know. I do not wand absurd rumors to have the chance to circulate," he glared at Dumbledore who recoiled. Harry's glare could actually kill. Though he wasn't feeling vengeful enough quite yet, Dumbledore would still feel something pressuring him, and sapping at his life force. He sat quickly, which most took to be a sign of consent, which Harry knew would not have been given other wise, "After finding me where you left me on my aunt and uncles stoop, they decided that I was not a necessary being to be kept alive, and they left me in the middle of the woods to die," Harry began.

There was an outraged look in Dumbledore's eyes at being so blatantly insulted. Many cries could be heard about the hall, and Harry could sense the respect everyone had for the 'leader of the light' drop several notches. He continued, "A basilisk found me, and upon discovering that I could speak her language, she brought me home to her well."

"That's not possible! Basilisks eyes kill with a glance!"

"That is a common misconception. Basilisks only kill when they want to. They have a secondary set of eyelids that can prevent their gaze from killing. After a week with Oasis, she took me to those who are now my surrogate fathers, and proposed rituals that would make me into a snake. I completed these rituals when I was seven, and have recently been deemed the successor to the leading position on the Basilisk council."

Several people's jaws dropped at that. Not many people understood the significance of the return of the Basilisk Lord, but those who did instantly knew that Harry would be a formidable foe. Dumbledore looked triumphant for a moment, "should this be true, you would have been gifted with the necklace worn by Slytherin himself. I see no such necklace upon you."

Harry pulled it out, and the older man's eyes widened before he sunk with defeat, "My grand mother on my snake side was the one to change Slytherin. It has been in the family since he died."

Draco had been looking more and more shocked by the second. He knew that his father's reaction would be priceless, though the tantrum he would throw at discovering that he had missed his chance to make a good first impression would be frightening. The concept that the basilisks would be taking their place at the council once again was astounding. As a prominent pureblood family, Draco had been taught politics from the time he was old enough to understand them.

At one time, each species had its own council. The most prominent being the basilisk, the vampire, and the werewolf. The leader of each group held a spot on the interspecies council. Basilisks were always the ones said to be the most level headed. When the humans became scared, and attacked the basilisks, they were forced to leave their position. The interspecies relations had become more difficult from there, and humans had become far more controlling – placing bans and regulations of all sorts on the other members of the council. With the return of a basilisk to the council negotiations were sure to be far more interesting.

Hagrid, being a non human himself was ecstatic at the pronouncement. Basilisks had always lobbied for equality, and with there return giants would most likely gain respect. He looked forward to the day when he could show his heritage proudly.

Dumbledore gestured to McGonagall, and she went to place the hat on Harry's head, but it called out Slytherin before it even touched his head. McGonagall pulled back confusedly, and Harry stood. He sat next to Draco and silence reigned for a few minutes, before Harry coughed, and McGonagall continued with the sorting. When it was over, Dumbledore didn't even bother making his normal announcements. He simply said to enjoy, and clapped his hands.

He was clearly upset by Harry's lack of human characteristics, and Harry suspected that he had not seen the end of the questioning. The hall was simply buzzing with the energy of many peoples curiosity. Draco was the first to question him, "Harry Potter? You're Harry Potter?"

Harry looked up and down the table with disgust. Nothing was to his tastes, "I only didn't tell you because I wanted to see your reaction. Though the phrase 'gaped like a fish' is overused, I must say that it applied in this instance."

Draco's cheeks tinged pink, and Harry reached into his pocket for the small cage with his dinner in it. Upon seeing it Draco's eyes widened, "you're not really going to eat them again are you?" Harry nodded, "I had thought you were joking."

"I do not joke," he said as he un-shrunk the cage. No one seemed to notice his lack of wand, so Harry counted his blessings. Inside were a handful of baby mice, two rats, a small bird, a baby rabbit, and a weasel. Harry hadn't been hungry earlier, and as such, had decided to put on a show and eat a very large dinner. He doubted that he would need to eat more than a few baby mice in the next few days. The cage he had was specially made, and grew compartments as needed. Harry decided to start with a rat.

When the teachers saw Harry pull out the rat, they all assumed that he was just taking out a pet. However, when he punctured it with his fang, they became alarmed, "Mr. Potter! What do you think you are doing?"

He looked at them like they were crazy for asking, "eating of course. You don't expect a snake to eat any of this junk do you?" before they could answer, Harry had inserted half of the rat into his mouth, and was walking his jaw down the remainder. Everyone in the hall was speechless at the spectacle. They watched as Harry repeated the performance with the rabbit, and the other rat. The bird got its legs and tail ripped of, causing several people to gag. Harry swallowed its head last, so that the beak wouldn't hurt his throat. The looks of horror were priceless as Harry pulled out the weasel. It took him nearly ten minutes to swallow the creature. During that time people began to talk once more, though several people had begun to cry. Draco, having had at least some preparation managed to put on a show of indifference, though Harry could tell it was strained. People managed to eat again when Harry sat back with the cage on his lap. He was saving the mice for desert.

"I don't think I'll ever get used to that," Draco remarked.

Harry smirked, "you'll have to. I carry a mouse farm in my trunk. Mice breed like rabbits, and I often get hungry. My cage is usually filled with baby mice. They weren't kidding when they said I eat them like M&M's."

Draco grimaced, "don't tell me that there's more."

"I haven't had my dessert yet," was Harry's only reply. Minutes later, the deserts appeared, and Harry reached into his cage once more, pulling out a baby mouse by the tail. Mouths dropped open when he threw the mouse up in the air, and caught it in his mouth. He swallowed swiftly, before it got a chance to squirm. The taste was excellent, and Harry reached for another. Sympathetic whispers were abundant in the great hall when Harry repeated the motion. After about ten more, he finished. He smiled, and offered the cage up to his fellow housemates, "Want some? I have plenty."

Several people gagged, and a number Hufflepuffs really did throw up. Apparently, the floor was self cleaning, as it vanished instantly. Dumbledore was shaky as he made his final announcement, and sent them off to bed. As soon as Harry was out of the hall, he was bombarded by questions about if he was really the Basilisk Lord.

"Do my scales look fake to you? I assure you that I am indeed the heir to the Basilisk Thrown," he hissed out. He rolled his eyes at the demand that he speak in parseltongue, 'you all are behaving like imbeciles.'

Their reactions were very predictable. Most of them gasped, and looked slightly awed. Harry rolled his eyes inwardly, as the group reached the entrance to the Slytherin commons. The password was dark mist. Once inside Harry went straight through to his room to avoid any more questions. He had been feeling crowded since leaving the compartment, and was relived to finally be alone. He looked around the dorm room, and was horrified to note that there were only beds.

He failed to keep the expression off his face, "what's wrong?" Draco had entered the room.

"I can't sleep in one of those!"

Draco gave him an odd look, "what? You need a hole in the ground or something?"

"Yes!"

Draco's jaw dropped, "well you can do magic! Figure it out!"

Harry nearly slapped himself. With a wave of his hand, one of the beds had become a cave with a curtain over the door. He smiled in relief.

"You are very strange. Did you know that?" Harry scowled, "and I was wondering, what did you mean when you said Crabbe and Goyle weren't very snake? They're Slytherin aren't they?"

Harry had been waiting for that question, "snake is my way of describing personality. I've always had a knack for judging people, and I label them in terms of how 'snake' they are. The more snake, the better I'll get along with them. It makes sense because there is a general mentality that all snakes share, and that happens to be the type of personality I get along with best."

"How can you tell?"

"The personalities have a sort of smell that I use to judge," Harry explained.

"So it has nothing to do with blood?" Draco asked.

"Not in particular. I can smell the differences in blood caused by creature heritage, but there are few creatures that nauseate me," he yawned widely, causing his jaw to open fully. Draco hadn't seen that yet, and was slightly shocked by how much Harry would be able to fit in there. Harry was slightly subdued as he pulled off his robes, and transfigured his pants into pajama bottoms.

Draco didn't speak when he saw the scales that adorned Harry's back, and the scar carved into his chest. He suspected that Harry's mind had been severely taxed by the day's events.

Harry yawned once more, and crawled into his cave after mumbling a subdued good night to Draco. He fell asleep quickly, despite the lonely feeling he got from sleeping without another body near by.


End file.
